Chapter 729: The Young Cult Leader Awakened Him

TL: FoodieMonster007

"Careful, careful. There's a stone there. Watch your step."

Walking beside Dan Ah, Seo Daeryong scanned the ground with frightening intensity.

"I'm fine! Anyone watching would think I was passing through formations or something."

Dan Ah's belly was round and prominent. She was pregnant, with only two or three months left until her due date.

"It must be difficult, let me carry you on my back." Seo Daeryong crouched down to carry her. He wasn't the type to care about the stares of others.

Dan Ah massaged his shoulders. "I need to keep walking and moving for exercise, for my health and the baby's. I'll head back now, so you should get going."

"Let's head back together first. I'll see you home before I go."

"I'll be fine, so please go. Master will be waiting."

Dan Ah had come out to see Seo Daeryong off to his training.

"Can you get back on your own?"

"Why? Are you worried enemies are lying in ambush on the way home?"

Although Seo Daeryong was making a fuss, he had never been happier than he was these days. He had been happy when they married, but he was truly ecstatic at the news that she was with child. The moment he heard it, he had been momentarily stunned.

I'm going to be a father?

He truly couldn't find the words to describe the feeling. It was a completely different kind of joy from being admitted to the Sanzu River Hall as the top student or becoming the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's disciple. The joy was so immense that it often didn't feel real.

Of course, his worries were as mountainous as his joy. The baby had to be born healthy. Dan Ah had to be safe, too. The child had to grow up strong and healthy. He was already shouldering all the worries of the future.

"Just a moment." Seo Daeryong carefully placed a hand on the belly of Dan Ah, who was about to turn back. "The little one is quiet today."

Could life really be this good? Dan Ah smiled and looked at Seo Daeryong. "I'm going now."

"Go safely. Don't fall."

"I'm a martial artist, you know. My inner arts don't just disappear because I'm pregnant!"

After sending her off, Seo Daeryong arrived at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's residence.

"Sorry I'm late, Master."

Seo Daeryong's attitude was different from when he was with Dan Ah. When it came to training, he was more serious and diligent than anyone. He greeted the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and was about to head out to the courtyard, when his master stopped him.

"Take this with you when you leave later."

"What's this?" Seo Daeryong looked inside the bundle. What the Blood Heaven Blade Demon handed him was a bundle of medicinal herbs.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon explained, "The Insect Physician had someone send it over."

"The Insect Physician?"

"She said to be sure to take it, as it's good for both the baby and the mother."

"Why would the Insect Physician send this to me?"

"How should I know?"

Seo Daeryong was confused. He wasn't close enough to the Insect Physician for her to send him something like this.

Just then, a welcome voice came from behind.

"Why do you think? She was doing a friend a favor."

Seo Daeryong turned in surprise to see Geom Mugeuk standing there.

"Young Cult Leader!" he exclaimed, rushing over to Geom Mugeuk.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon jumped with surprise from his spot by the window. For some reason, he was even more shocked than Seo Daeryong.

Geom Mugeuk explained, "The person over there is friends with the Insect Physician."

"Ah!" Seo Daeryong looked back at his master with a shocked face. How could he, a disciple, not have known that? In other words, his master had gotten the medicine for him.

Before he could say thank you, however, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had been at the window, disappeared inside.

Geom Mugeuk spoke on the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's behalf, "He wants to say 'My disciple, I specially asked the Insect Physician to prepare it.' Elder, you're allowed to take the credit for things like this!"

Seo Daeryong, his face filled with emotion, shouted loudly, "Thank you, Master!"

No answer came from within.

Geom Mugeuk offered his congratulations to Seo Daeryong. "So you're finally becoming a father."

"The one who seemed least likely to marry, the ugliest one, the most pathetic one, I… I'm becoming a father." Seo Daeryong's throat tightened, as if he was about to cry just thinking about it. "This is all thanks to you, Young Cult Leader, and to Master."

"I'll give you a congratulatory gift later."

"There's no need. Your existence itself is a gift, Young Cult Leader."

"Is that so? I was planning to get you something incredibly expensive and nice."

"……"

"……"

"My child doesn't know of your existence yet, Young Cult Leader… so maybe a gift is necessary."

Geom Mugeuk laughed loudly, and Seo Daeryong laughed along with him.

Just then, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's voice came from inside. "If you're here, stop chattering and come in."

As Geom Mugeuk headed inside, he said to Seo Daeryong, "Later, you'll have to teach me your secret techniques on how to raise a child."

"Just have one first, please!"

With that, Geom Mugeuk entered the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's room. As soon as he stepped inside, he took a deep breath, inhaling the scent.

"Ah, the smell of these books! I've truly missed it!"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon, still looking surprised, asked, "Did you really achieve complete mastery?"

"No, it was too hard, so I gave up and came back."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon didn't believe him. Instead, his eyes toward Geom Mugeuk were filled with conviction as he said, "You really did it."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because you wouldn't have come back until you achieved complete mastery."

The playfulness vanished from Geom Mugeuk's face. His father's and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's opinion of him were the same.

He respectfully performed a clasped hands greeting and bowed. "Thanks to the Elder showing me the right path, I have achieved complete mastery and returned. Thank you very much."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's gaze also became exceedingly respectful as he looked at the bowing Geom Mugeuk. He too clasped his hands together respectfully. "Congratulations on achieving complete mastery of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art."

This greeting wasn't for Geom Mugeuk, but a sign of respect for the Nine Calamities Demonic Art itself. One would show respect just seeing the art being performed, let alone for the Nine Calamities Demonic Art that had reached complete mastery.

After exchanging greetings, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon silently watched Geom Mugeuk. This young man had surprised him many times before, but never as much as now.

Yes, he had believed that Geom Mugeuk would naturally achieve complete mastery, but he never thought it would be this fast. Even when he heard that complete mastery was shimmering just before his eyes, he had thought it would take at least several years.

After all, Geom Woojin, who was called the greatest martial arts genius in history, had achieved complete mastery much later in life.

"What do you plan to do now?" he asked.

Geom Mugeuk pulled a book from the bookshelf, sat on the edge of the bed, and opened it. "I've heard that's the reason why people who achieve great success fail. It's because they suddenly try to make a big change in their lives. They should only change a little, but they try to change drastically all at once."

He, who had been speaking while looking down at the book, raised his head and looked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"Nothing has changed. When I return from my travels, I will still visit you first, Elder, and I will sit here and read books. I will learn fist techniques from Master, I will have a duel with the Sword Supreme, and I will help the Poison King with his poison research."

And with the power of this unchanging life, I will achieve the Twelth Star of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

Returning to his residence, Geom Mugeuk activated the Spacetime Manipulation Technique. A vast field unfolded before his eyes, and he summoned the Heavenly Demon Soul.

The Heavenly Demon Soul, which hadn't appeared before his father, now manifested immediately.

Why didn't you come out in front of Father?

Looking into the Heavenly Demon Soul's eyes, he could tell that fear was not the reason. His father had guessed as much without even seeing this Heavenly Demon Soul, but he wanted to be sure.

He smiled brightly and explained where they were. "This is a space I created with the Spacetime Manipulation Technique. When we meet, it will mostly be here."

There weren't many places in the outside world where he could comfortably manifest the Heavenly Demon Soul, after all.

"So even if you don't like it, don't destroy it. It's the space I cherish the most."

The Heavenly Demon Soul merely gazed at the world within the Spacetime Manipulation Technique with a heavy look.

"It's okay. I've had a lot of practice talking to myself in front of quiet people. Since you were born from me though, I doubt you're really the silent type, so it's okay to show me your true colors. I like talkative people, no, I like a talkative Heavenly Demon Soul."

It would be nice if it even smiled, but the Heavenly Demon Soul showed no reaction.

Geom Mugeuk stared at the Heavenly Demon Soul's waist. There was something there that wasn't there before…

"You! You've changed?"

The Heavenly Demon Soul's appearance had indeed changed. Now, it wore a sword at its waist, and surprisingly, the sword looked similar to the Black Demon Sword.

This was a change that occurred after he learned the seventh form of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

No, there's one more change.

Looking closely, he saw a faint pattern etched on the Heavenly Demon Soul's chest that hadn't been there before. Because its body was as dark as jet-black, he had to look carefully to see the faint pattern, but he couldn't tell its exact shape.

He figured he would have to master all nine forms to see the Heavenly Demon Soul's final form.

WHOOSH!

Geom Mugeuk flew up in front of the Heavenly Demon Soul's face and met its eyes. His gaze and aura changed. No longer was he the bright, talkative persona from a moment ago, but the calm, taciturn version of himself from before his regression.

With that gaze, filled with an infinitely deep loneliness, he conveyed his true feelings.

"I called you today because I wanted to congratulate you on learning your first martial arts technique. Being congratulated felt pretty good, so I wanted you to hear it too."

Geom Mugeuk said calmly to the Heavenly Demon Soul, "Congratulations!"

At that moment, he saw a glint in the Heavenly Demon Soul's dark, deep eyes. It had understood his words.

It definitely feels emotions!

An old man sat in the darkness. His back was ramrod straight, and his hands were gathered in front of his qi center. His two eyes, shining in the darkness, dominated the gloom.

SLITHER…

A black circle formed on the floor in front of the old man, and a person clad in black rose up from it. The black-clad person prostrated himself before the old man and reported, "The Young Cult Leader has returned to the cult."

The old man's eyes shone intensely in the darkness. "He's finally back!"

His words sounded as if he had been waiting for Geom Mugeuk to descend from the Great Sky Peak.

"Tell them to proceed with the plan."

"……"

The moment the old man's order was given, someone else appeared.

"Please withdraw that order for a moment," Ga Ye, the Saintess, cut in. She was the one who had previously informed the old man that the Red Orb had appeared in the world. In that place where everything was black, she wore a pure white martial arts uniform.

"What brings you here?" the old man demanded.

"Please come with me for a moment, Patriarch."

The old man rose from his seat, and the black-clad person who had been reporting disappeared back into the floor. The Saintess wouldn't seek him out unless it was urgent.

As the old man moved, something astonishing happened. The darkness surrounding him moved along with him, as if it were a living creature. This was not simply an aura of darkness emanating from his body. Real darkness was following him.

HISSSS…

The darkness changed into various forms. It floated along, covering the old man's body like a cloud, and it changed shape to make the old man look like a demon. Then, as if a ray of light were descending from the sky, a single stream of darkness came down from the ceiling, covering him from head to toe.

That darkness was alive, as if it had a life of its own.

On the door at the end of the corridor where the two arrived, the emblem of the Secret Box and the six orbs was drawn. When they entered, they found themselves in the same place where they had spoken before. The large Secret Box was placed in the corner, and the ceiling was filled with constellations.

"What is it?" the old man asked.

Ga Ye looked up at the ceiling with trembling eyes. "Look there."

The old man looked up at the ceiling. In that instant, an intense light shot out from within the darkness. Among the stars drawn on the ceiling, the largest one in the center was lit up.

This could only mean one thing.

"He has awakened."

"!"

A silence of shock and astonishment fell. Something truly unimaginable had happened.

"He woke up on his own?"

"……"

"That's impossible!"

At the old man's furious energy, the darkness enveloping him scattered in all directions as if fleeing. Then, the old man's form was fully revealed.

The marks of time were on his face. The wrinkles, layered like old tree rings, made it impossible to even guess his age. His features were covered by the wrinkles, making them unrecognizable.

Anyone who saw him would feel this way. How could someone so old sit so straight, how could he emit such an intense gaze, and how could he produce a voice with such a deep resonance?

He was the current Darkness Palace Lord, Hwa Mugyeong, and he, who could control his heart in any situation, was flustered at this very moment.

"How could that be possible?"

Ga Ye answered him, "He awakened on the day the Young Cult Leader descended the mountain."

"!" Hwa Mugyeong's eyes shone intensely. "What does that mean? Are you saying the Young Cult Leader's descent awakened him?"

Surprisingly, Ga Ye believed so.

"I believe the two of them are connected by destiny," she said with conviction. "The Young Cult Leader definitely awakened him."

When the plan using the Flying Blood Snake had failed, Hwa Mugyeong had pondered whether he should awaken that person. At that time, Ga Ye had stopped him, saying the murim would become a sea of blood.

Hwa Mugyeong also knew that the choice to awaken him was truly the last resort. He also knew there was a world of difference between him waking him up and him waking up on his own.

"Even if he awakens, he can't break the seal of the place where he is trapped."

"……"

Suddenly, one of the many stars on the ceiling lit up. The two watched the sight with astonished eyes.

"……"

Another star nearby lit up.

FLASH, FLASH!

This time, a star lit up and then immediately went out again. Then another star lit up. One star would brighten and then go out, and another would do the same. It seemed this would repeat several times.

FLASH FLASH FLASH FLASH FLASH FLASH!

One of the countless constellations was completed and began to shine.

Both Hwa Mugyeong and Ga Ye understood what this meant.

"He has begun to break the seal."